Alufoil Trophy 2013: The winners

Practical and stylish products highlight versatility and originality

Alufoil Trophy 2013 winners demonstrate ideas for new products and markets

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Great ingenuity to create innovative products, some with the potential to take alufoil into new markets, underlined the entries for the Alufoil Trophy 2013. Practicality was combined with style and creativity across all sectors. So good was the quality of entries that the judges were challenged to pick ‘the best of the best’, but eventually selected 12 winners.

The competition, which is ranged across five categories, is organised by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) and attracted entries from many of the major European aluminium converters, as well as leading industrial designers, and confirmed its position as the pre-eminent award for the alufoil sector.

Judging was led by Professor Dr. Markus Prem, principal of the Department of Food Packaging Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Kempten, who commented on the overall standard of entries saying, “The originality and quality of the entries generated much discussion among the judges. In these tough economic times we always look to focus on developments which can add value or reduce cost, as well as meeting sustainable requirements. But it impressed us how some very imaginative and stylish ideas were presented which could open new doors for alufoil, or create better, eye-catching solutions for existing products.”

The competition is open to products which are either made from alufoil or contain alufoil as part of a laminate or structure, including aluminium closures. Categories provide the scope for entries from almost every market, particularly for packaging and technical applications. The classifications are Consumer Convenience; Marketing + Design; Product Preservation; Resource Efficiency; and Technical Innovation. The judges also have discretion to awarded an Alufoil Trophy for products displaying excellence across a number of categories, or for a particularly novel or clever application. 

Summarizing Press Release:

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The winners:

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Consumer Convenience

Guala Closures: Viiva™

Guala Closures’ exciting new Viiva™ screw cap for sparkling wines has several consumer and catering use benefits, beyond its openability and sparkle retention properties. It can dramatically increases the opportunities for by-the-glass sales; eliminates cork taint; is easy to use for functions where sparkling wine is needed on a large scale; and offers no spillage or leaking during transportation or storage once the bottle has been re-closed – even when laid on its side in the fridge.

Guala Closures’ Viiva™ was also awarded an Alufoil Trophy 2013 in the Product Preservation category. (See page below)

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Vaassen Flexible Packaging: Sensocap® / Capsteril®

The 3 ply Capsteril® alufoil laminate closure from Vaassen Flexible Packaging, in combination with the Sensocap® screw cap from Ampack, improves shelf life of aseptic products, without requiring a separate peeling process for the foil membrane, which is retained as a cushion in the screw cap to aid resealing. The presence of alufoil in the laminate enables pre-heating of the capping foil which aids the heat generation required to kill any bacteria present.

Additionally research shows that consumers would rather have only one closure and do not like a sealing membrane having to be removed as additional step. An integrated closure system in an aseptic environment, has not been successful until now, say the companies

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Marketing + Design

CARCANO ANTONIO: FOIL

FOIL is a very original concept and application which designer Tiziana Lorenzelli and converter Carcano Antonio have created from alufoil material. Achieved by laminating two varnished lacquered sheets with a polyethylene film and embossing one side, the resulting material can be shaped into a vase or similar container for flowers or Ikebana. The shape depends upon the imagination and skill of the consumer and can be altered to accommodate different displays.

The product not only expands the horizons for the use of alufoil, with the potential of taking it into new markets, it was felt that no other material could be used for this concept. The designer undertook research of various gauges of alufoil, as well as the surface finish and laminating processes, to ensure the right look and feel as well as optimum flexibility and rigidity were achieved.

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Constantia Flexibles: Cafétique

Constantia Flexibles has designed a striking new single serve capsule containing a range of coffee liqueur flavours. Made for Koninklijke De Kuyper the Cafétique capsule provides a 30ml serving. The alufoil lids are printed with high quality graphics and the capsules come in a presentation box to reinforce the luxury image. Aimed at the European market it is believed to be the first convenience coffee product of its kind to offer an alcohol content. The barrier properties of the aluminium capsules and lids ensure the flavour is maintained throughout the shelf life of the product. There is no need for barriers in the outer pack, which can focus 100% on marketing, design and other factors.

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Product Preservation

Constantia Flexibles: HiPer Wrap

A new flow pack material, HiPer Wrap, created by Constantia Flexibles, offers an alternative to film-based flow wrap for the confectionery sector which is capable running on high speed lines at 400 units per minute, while offering improved barrier functionality. HiPer Wrap offers alufoil manufacturers an opportunity to re-enter this market segment after some years when it was not regarded as the first choice for some confectionery products.

The coextruded aluminium foil can be used on a standard folding machine, but can also operate on a flow wrapping machine where, until now, only film applications have been possible. In addition there are potential energy savings through lower seal temperatures, as well as the improved product protection, due to the versatile properties of aluminium foil.

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Guala Closures: Viiva™

Guala Closures picked up its second award for the Viiva™ screw cap, an aluminium closure specifically designed for high pressure sparkling wines. The closure guarantees pressure retention before and after the first opening. It will keep a sparkling wine’s correct level of carbonation (or fizz) for weeks after opening.

The screw cap offers much improved security against spillage or leaking during transportation or storage once the bottle has been re-closed. Being just one component, Viiva™ has clear advantages over traditional closures for sparkling wines, yet looks and performs like a regular screw cap. Also it is easy to apply using the same equipment as for still wines and the recyclability of aluminium is an environmental benefit.

Guala Closures’ Viiva™ also won an Alufoil Trophy 2013 in the Consumer Convenience category. (See above)

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Resource Efficiency

Amcor Flexibles: Formpack® with Advanced Blister Design

Amcor Flexibles latest advance in its Formpack® blister pack, the Advanced Blister Design is based on an existing blister pack, but re-engineered so that the material consumption has been reduced by more than 30% in volume, while improving the moisture protection of the drug by over 40%.

The base foil is a multiple layer laminate with a core of 45µm thick alufoil. The lid foil is made from alufoil of 25µm thickness, lacquered on both sides. Together they provide a complete barrier against moisture.

In the new blister design the perforations between the single cavities have been removed, improving the resistance to moisture diffusion considerably. Also this has enabled six tablets, rather than the previous 4, to be packed in a blister with identical dimensions.

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Constantia Flexibles: Die Cut Lid 2020

A new lidding concept, which reduces the lid material clearly shows how advances in material technology are making possible better sustainability without loss of performance. Die Cut Lid 2020 introduced by Constantia Flexibles, a co-extrusion coated lid is composed of a thin aluminium layer of 20 micron and a proprietary co-extrusion coating. Die Cut Lid 2020 is sealable against PP-cups and is available embossed or unembossed. Constantia claim it is the first die cut lidding product to use only 20 micron foil.

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Huhtamaki: Foil Pillow Lid®

A new lidding concept, which reduces the lid material clearly shows how advances in material technology are making possible better sustainability without loss of performance. Foil Pillow Lid® from Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Europe, offers improved tear resistance, outstanding stamping characteristics, along with 100% sealing resistance, while maintaining maximum barrier properties, and using less foil. An embedded polymer cushion between two thin aluminium foils allows Foil Pillow Lid® to be ultra-flexible compared to rigid aluminium foil, enabling it to compensate better for any unevenness during the sealing process, without loss of machinability.

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Technical Innovation

Amcor Flexibles: Alufix® Dry Smart

Amcor Flexibles considers its Alufix® Dry Smart membrane to be a major step forward in its overall effort to increase packaging convenience while reducing the carbon footprint of packaging materials. The membrane is both BPA and melamine free and uses PVC-free heat seal lacquer. It is designed to be sealed at high speed without modifying the machines. The particular challenge in the development of Alufix® Dry Smart was the conversion to a new solventless and PVC-free lacquering system while retaining the excellent mechanical properties of the membrane, such as burst-pressure, smooth peel and heat/temperature resistance, all at a competitive price level.

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Constantia Flexibles: Philly Brick Foil

A preformed, aluminium foil based coquille, manufactured by Constantia Flexibles/Hueck, for hot filling of Kraft’s Philadelphia classico/light cream cheese, is formed to a rectangle shape, or ‘Philly Brick’, using a machine specially designed by Alpma. Easy opening is achieved by pulling tabs on the longitudinal seal. Constantia says the laminate has very good foldable characteristics, is stable enough for filling, is tear-resistant and can be rotogravure printed and embossed. The new design means the pack is completely sealed, allowing the alufoil to improve the overall barrier performance.

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Discretionary Awards

Constantia Flexibles: Knorr “Feinschmecker-pouch”

The ‘Feinschmecker-pouch’, made by Constantia Flexibles for Unilever’s Knorr dry soup range, scored highly for Technical Innovation, Consumer Convenience and Marketing + Design to make it stand out as an innovative use of alufoil.

 It is claimed as the first peelable, bottom gusseted pouch, which offers a new format in dry food applications. Due to the combination of two flaps and easy peel opening the consumer can open the pouch in a very convenient way without the need of additional equipment such as scissors. Also, as the pack does not get split into two pieces when opening the branding remains intact and guarantees the full readability of the food preparation instructions, content description, shelf life dates and other information.

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Protective Packaging: Rescuetec

The Rescuetec pack, made by Protective Packaging, is capable of regenerating mobiles phones or other electronic devices which have been damaged by immersion in water or other aqueous liquids. It was felt to be a highly novel application of alufoil’s barrier properties.

The pack contains an indicator plus a unique desiccant sachet. The desiccant is extremely powerful and extracts every molecule of water from any component which is placed in the pack. The foil pouch laminate is heat sealable, as during the pack assembly the desiccant sachet and indicator are rapidly inserted through the open end of the pouch, which is then hermetically sealed. A zip lock is sealed during the drying process but allows access to the indicating system to confirm the removal of every water molecule has been completed.

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